Eurailpass planning: UK

[railfan99]

Thank you to everyone who makes the fora such a goldmine. Appreciated!

For a possible next autumnal Eurailpass, I am looking at maybe three weeks in the UK, perhaps a bit longer.

I would like a few suggestions on lines I've not done, especially if they are scenic or emblematic of England or Scotland's industry. (Conflicting I know, but both have to be experienced).

So far, I've ocvered:

the vast majority of English main lines and almost all Scottish, and some Welsh with exception I've not visited Liverpool or Manchester Victoria stations or in Scotland been through Aviemore
Cambrian Coast line
Cumbrian Coast line
Holyhead line
Carnforth-Skipton-Leeds
Bradford Interchange and Forster Square
Wigan to Chester
Blackpool North - a distant memory
Lowestoft via Ipswich/Norwich/Doncaster
Preston - Colne and then back down to Bolton
Leeds-Huddersfield-Sheffield-Nottingham
Derby including Matlock branch
Altrincham to Stockport via sparsely timetabled route
Newcastle to Carlisle with overnight at Hexham
Penzance and all operating west of England branches including Looe (twice), Gunnislake etc.
Weymoputh including via Yeovil Pen Mill - distant memory
Swanage
Dover Priory
Norwich
Felixstowe
Clacton-on-Sea
Hull-Selby-to main line
Canterbury - again a distant memory - cannot recall exact route
Grimsby Town/Cleethorpes
Nottingham-Barton-on-Humber
East Crydon-Tonbridge-Robertsbridge
Brighton
Headcorn-London terminals
Windsor both ways
Exeter-Exmouth
Bristol-Pembroke Dock
Aberystwyth
Shrewsbury-Ruabon for Llangollen Railway-Chester
Llandudno

Apologies for the jumbling.

Some omissions I am keen to rectify include Walton-on-the-Naze, Skegness, Great Yarmouth, probably Bognor Regis and others on the south coast with semaphore signals, Scarborough plus the Marches line in Wales but there must be a few others worth doing.

What do members think of the Milford Haven and Fishguard Harbour lines?

If I had limited time in Cardiff, what two 'suburban' lines would you recommend?

Many thanks!

 

[Henffordd]

You may be treading on toes by saying "the Marches line in Wales", since most of it is in England. Between Hereford and Abergavenny it crosses the border several times. This doesn't detract from it being great for scenery. Connecting with it: eastwards the route from Hereford through Malvern, Worcester and the Cotswold to Oxford; and westward the Heart of Wales line. And a trip up the Rhondda to Treherbert to see the coal industry and its demise.

 

[30907]

For Cardiff Valleys I would do Rhymney alongside Treherbert for contrast, and fit in the Vale of Glamorgan to Bridgend en route west.

I might try Pembroke then splash out on a bus to Haverfordwest for Milford H.

You haven't done much of East Kent - include the Maidstone E route if you do (and the Medway Valley is an interesting contrast between industry and rural, but not so easy to fit in).

You also it seems haven't done any of the remote Scottish lines - they would be high on my list, including Stranraer if it is open by then.

Whitby is a must, one way plus bus to Malton across the moors (or the NYMR to Pickering).

Manchester Vic (or Blackburn) to Halifax/Bradford for Mill towns and scenery.

 

[lachlan]

For Cardiff Valleys I would do Rhymney alongside Treherbert for contrast, and fit in the Vale of Glamorgan to Bridgend en route west.

I might try Pembroke then splash out on a bus to Haverfordwest for Milford H.

You haven't done much of East Kent - include the Maidstone E route if you do (and the Medway Valley is an interesting contrast between industry and rural, but not so easy to fit in).

You also it seems haven't done any of the remote Scottish lines - they would be high on my list, including Stranraer if it is open by then.

Whitby is a must, one way plus bus to Malton across the moors (or the NYMR to Pickering).

Manchester Vic (or Blackburn) to Halifax/Bradford for Mill towns and scenery.

The lines in Scotland are indeed fantastic. Not sure what the best route around them is. The only less interesting one in my opinion is Aberdeen-Inverness but it may still make sense to take this given the scenic lines at either end

 

[Snapper37]

The lines in Scotland are indeed fantastic. Not sure what the best route around them is. The only less interesting one in my opinion is Aberdeen-Inverness but it may still make sense to take this given the scenic lines at either

 

[Snapper37]

Sleeper to Fort William, train to Malaig. Ferry to Skye, bus or taxi to Kyle of Lochalsh, train to Inverness, then sleeper South. Great day out. In the day there used to be a direct Malaig to Kyle ferry. Of course option to stay in hotels at any major point.

 

[zero]

You may as well just try and complete all the lines... then you would start from the ones which are hardest to get to or have poor timings/connections.

I would do Fishguard as part of a ferry trip to and from Ireland, and if you are there anyway you may as well go and visit St Davids (by bus) plus both Milford and Pembroke

 

[railfan99]

For Cardiff Valleys I would do Rhymney alongside Treherbert for contrast, and fit in the Vale of Glamorgan to Bridgend en route west.

I might try Pembroke then splash out on a bus to Haverfordwest for Milford H.

You haven't done much of East Kent - include the Maidstone E route if you do (and the Medway Valley is an interesting contrast between industry and rural, but not so easy to fit in).

You also it seems haven't done any of the remote Scottish lines - they would be high on my list, including Stranraer if it is open by then.

Whitby is a must, one way plus bus to Malton across the moors (or the NYMR to Pickering).

Manchester Vic (or Blackburn) to Halifax/Bradford for Mill towns and scenery.

Thanks. Because I didn't arrange by region, I omitted that I have done all remote Scottish lines: Mallaig/Wick/Thurso/others and last year, Oban, but not the line through Aviemore.

Thank you for the Welsh suggestions.

I did the Llanelli-Shresbury line in October 2023, having overnighted at Pembroke Dock.

I forgot to mention I'd done Great Central (on an Oct 2023 strike day!) from Bradford Interchange through Halifax and Pontrefact to London. The few seconds I viewed of Halifax made me think it might be worth stopping off overnight. Bradford's Midland Hotel (raiolway origins) was very much worth using in 2022, but in 2023 I couldn't get a booking.

I stayed overnight at Whitby a decade ago and did NYMR but both are due for a second visit.

The Manchester Victoria suggestion is excellent.

 

[railfan99]

Sleeper to Fort William, train to Malaig. Ferry to Skye, bus or taxi to Kyle of Lochalsh, train to Inverness, then sleeper South. Great day out. In the day there used to be a direct Malaig to Kyle ferry. Of course option to stay in hotels at any major point.

Thanks. Yes I did that many years ago, although not with the 'CS' sleepers. It was a good day via Armadale IIRC, also the name of a Melbourne, Australia suburb. I liked the C MacB ferry.

 

[railfan99]

You may be treading on toes by saying "the Marches line in Wales", since most of it is in England. Between Hereford and Abergavenny it crosses the border several times.

Apologies for the lack of geographical knowledge. Thank you. England is a great country so no desire to tread on toes.

 

[railfan99]

I would do Fishguard as part of a ferry trip to and from Ireland, and if you are there anyway you may as well go and visit St Davids (by bus) plus both Milford and Pembroke

Thanks. I did all Irish plus the major Northern Ireland lines (even the alternative route to Limerick IIRC) in 1999, so Fishguard will be a brief stop, or if circumstances dictate, overnight.

I hope it's better than Pembroke (Dock) as eight months ago I was underwhelmed by the accommodation choices. A town that's seen better days, although it had a supermarket open early in the morning so a saving grace as I walked a kilometre to the first train of the day.

 

[zero]

Thanks. I did all Irish plus the major Northern Ireland lines (even the alternative route to Limerick IIRC) in 1999, so Fishguard will be a brief stop, or if circumstances dictate, overnight.

I hope it's better than Pembroke (Dock) as eight months ago I was underwhelmed by the accommodation choices. A town that's seen better days, although it had a supermarket open early in the morning so a saving grace as I walked a kilometre to the first train of the day.

I wouldn't stay in Fishguard... take the next train back or use the buses (a TrawsCymru day ticket is reasonably good value although you will have an unlimited rail pass anyway)

I've done all the train lines and I thought there were some interesting things to see/do near Pembroke (Dock), but I determined that I would go by car.

 

[railfan99]

I wouldn't stay in Fishguard... take the next train back or use the buses...

Is it boring/windswept/wet/unsafe/poor or distant from station accommodation/no reasonable dining/unattractive architecture?

 

[30907]

Is it boring/windswept/wet/unsafe/poor or distant from station accommodation/no reasonable dining/unattractive architecture?

I remember it from many years ago as being a decent hilltop town with good views over the inlet, but the station is at Goodwick (and at sea level!).
If you went there, you could catch a bus to Haverfordwest via St Davids, which would be worth doing.

 

[Henffordd]

I remember it from many years ago as being a decent hilltop town with good views over the inlet, but the station is at Goodwick (and at sea level!).
If you went there, you could catch a bus to Haverfordwest via St Davids, which would be worth doing.

And there is the tapestry, if you were interested, commemorating the defeat of the French invasion in 1797 and the role of Jemima Nicholas - https://lastinvasiontapestry.co.uk/

 

[Snapper37]

The Marches line is very pretty, with lots of semaphore signals. A few trains a day are loco hauled and includes a restaurant car. Very nice for a sit down meal. Dependent upon the time of year it’s possible to get a bus from Bangor to Carnarvon, narrow gauge Welsh Highland line to Porthmadoc, where you can rejoin network rail, or continue on the narrow gauge to Bliaenau Ffestiniog, where you can rejoin network rail.

 

[railfan99]

The Marches line is very pretty, with lots of semaphore signals. A few trains a day are loco hauled and includes a restaurant car. Very nice for a sit down meal. Dependent upon the time of year it’s possible to get a bus from Bangor to Carnarvon, narrow gauge Welsh Highland line to Porthmadoc, where you can rejoin network rail, or continue on the narrow gauge to Bliaenau Ffestiniog, where you can rejoin network rail.

Thank you. Great tips!

An Australian friend yesterday was on the 1220 hours Manchester to Cardiff train that had a chef.

He had a three course meal. Only two others dined. Not sure if there were takeaway sales.

He commented that the Welsh rarebit, sea bass and cheese board were all excellent, and cheaper (and in his view better) than GWR's Pullman offering.